Mexico

Day 1: Tulum

Fly into Cancun.

Hop straight into a taxi to Tulum, which is only a couple of hours further down the East Coast of the Yucatan Peninsular.

Arrive in Tulum, home to the famous Mayan ruins and a city of two halves: the Town and the Beach. Whilst the town has cheaper accommodation options, it offers little else besides plenty of traffic and a rather long walk to the beach. Take our recommendation and head straight to the Beach area. Here, you will find a long stretch of white sand, dotted with beach bars ranging from the laid back shack to the down right swanky.

The jungle road running alongside the beach is lined with funky (and – dare we say it – Instagram worthy) cafes, and effortlessly trendy restaurants offering every cuisine imaginable. Once you are settled into your accommodation, grab a sun-downer at a beach bar before choosing somewhere for your first taste of authentic Mexican cuisine.

Day 2: Tulum

Spend your first proper day exploring the beach and wandering along the jungle road.

Relax on a sun lounger at one of the beach bars. Some require a small fee for their use, while others simply ask that you keep the margaritas flowing. Our favourite was Maalix, one of the more rustic beach bars with delicious garlic shrimps and the best margaritas in town.

After dinner at your place of choice try a free salsa lesson if you’re feeling brave. We tried one at La Zebra – have a drink (or two) at their bar beforehand to really get into the swing of it.

Day 3: Tulum

Rent a bike and cycle alongside the beach to the Tulum ruins at the north end of Tulum (approx. 20 – 30 minutes depending where along the beach you are staying). Get there early to avoid the queues.

Spend a couple of hours exploring this ancient Mayan walled city in its spectacular coastal setting.

On the cycle back from the ruins, stop off at Playa Maya, where beach-side snorkel companies will take you out in their fishing boats to snorkel with turtles and sting rays (we were told that success rate is high, and we were not disappointed!) The boat ride will also give you a chance to admire the Tulum ruins from the sea.

Hop back on your bike and peddle into town, picking up an ice cream (I Scream bar was our go to) or a cold drink to cool you down.

Day 4: Chichen Itza

Organise a taxi with your hotel to take you 2 hours north-west to Chichen Itza (though more expensive than a bus, a taxi can set off earlier than the tourist buses which means you can avoid the crowds, and the heat).

An expansive pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people, Chichen Itza has been been classed as one of the seven wonders of the world. You can pay for a tour around the ruins, or you can rely on your best friend Google, but either way, they are definitely worth a few hours of your time. Look out for the Mayan “basketball” pitch.

On the way back from Chichen Itza, make sure to stop off at the Grand Cenote (another benefit of going by taxi), a cavernous sink hole which is great for a dip after your dusty hot walk around the ruins. It is one of the better preserved Cenotes and as such, can be very popular (and a bit touristy), but it is an impressive site and a good way to break up your return leg to Tulum.

We were pressed for time, so this was the only Cenote we managed to visit, but there are a number of different Cenotes dotted in and around Tulum with varying characteristics and levels of busyness.

Chichen Itza (left), Grand Cenote (right)

Day 5: Tulum

Spend one final day soaking in the cool Tulum vibes, chilling on the beach, and getting your final dose of nachos and guacamole (Alma’s were our fave).

If you’re feeling up to it, visit another Cenote closer to Tulum (Casa Cenote is known for its friendly resident crocodile, if you’re feeling brave!).

Grab some bikes for the evening and cycle to Mateo’s (15 minutes along the road to the Tulum ruins) where you can watch the sun set from their rooftop bar overlooking the jungle whilst munching on delicious fish tacos.

Belize

Day 6: Caye Caulker

You will spend most of the day travelling to Caye Caulker, likely by bus to Chetumal or Belize City and then a ferry.

As you slowly dock into the Caye Caulker jetty, taking in the palm-lined and multi-coloured shore, you will instantly fall in love with this cool Caribbean island. With its motto “Go Slow”, Caye Caulker is so tiny you can walk the full stretch of the island in less than 30 minutes. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in character.

At the end of a long day’s travel, reward yourself with one of the island’s specialities – fresh lobster smothered in garlic. Belize is one of the cheapest places in the world to try lobster, plenty of Caye Caulker restaurants serve it, but Rose’s Grill’s was superb.

Day 7: Caye Caulker

Go for a stroll or rent a bike and cycle around town to take in the sights – it’s tiny so there’s no need to plan a route! Grab a fresh juice and a fry jack (a traditional Belizean breakfast – deep fried dough stuffed with a filling of your choice) from Errolyn’s en route.

Once you’ve got a feel for the island, head to the Split, a narrow body of water separating the North and South islands of Caye Caulker (South Caye Caulker is where most people stay and where the majority of the restaurants and activity companies are based). There is a dock for sun bathing and easy access to the water (since there is no “beach” on the island). The Split’s infamous bar and restaurant Lazy Lizard serves up fresh food, drinks and chilled music all day long.

You can also catch a free boat across to Koko King at North Caye Caulker where you can use their sun loungers, mini beach and floats if you buy food and drink there (though we preferred the more relaxed vibe at the Split).

Day 8: Caye Caulker

Get a breakfast bagel and coffee by the sea at Ice & Beans before heading to one of the nearby snorkel companies for a half/full day trip. We went with Caveman Tours who were excellent. They took us to a number of different areas including Coral Beach (where we saw manatees) and Shark Ray Alley (where as the name suggests, there were both nurse sharks and sting rays).

Finish up with a happy hour at Lazy Lizard, dangling your feet over the edge of the Split and watching the gorgeous sunset.

Day 9: Caye Caulker

It’s your last day on the island – get up early and rent a kayak and either go for a potter or take it around the whole island (this took us 2 hours max), finishing up with a dip in the crystal blue waters. 

If you still have energy to spare, you can go paddle boarding in the nearby mangroves (you can do a tour but this can be relatively pricey so we just rented boards for a couple of hours), otherwise just spend the rest of your day relaxing and swimming at the Split.

For your final night, treat yourself to a slap up Italian meal at Pasta per Caso (make sure to reserve as soon as you arrive on the island – it is very popular!). 

Day 10: Travel

Travel home or on to your next destination (see our Guatemala itinerary for inspiration).